Let's Pretend We're Numb

Ch.17

Jasmine

The beach with Jaiden, Jahseh and Desiree, everything was really fun. We swam had sub sandwiches and Jaiden found all types of exotic shells that he brought in his little bucket. Everything was pretty much perfect.

"Mommy, I'm sleepy." Jaiden mumbles, dragging his little feet, and I bend down to pick him up, but Jahseh swoops down faster, picking him up and slinging him over his shoulder. Jaiden lays his head down and falls asleep instantly. I grab his bucket out of his hand and hold it while Desiree questions me about Stokeley.

"So, have you ever had a thing for him, since it's obvious he has one for you?" She glances over at me and I smiled.

"Yeah-"

"Aye!" Jahseh frowns, but I slightly nudge him and roll my eyes.

"He was there for me." I say simply, then turn back to Desiree.

"He was a sweetheart to me, and I did grow feelings for him, but when I had Jaiden we drifted apart and my feelings for him were drowned out by my son." I lean up and kiss Jaiden's sleeping cheek as we walk inside the hotel, and I start to feel bad for Desiree as she looks upset.

"I've always had this huge crush on Stoke, every since middle school too." She admits, a blush rising to her cheeks and I gasp.

"Awww that's so cute. I'm gonna help you get with him." I say, confidently, sending her to look at me crazy.

"Nah, he'll never go for it. Girl, he's in love with you." She says, a little sadness in her voice and I shake my head.

"He only wants what he can't have cause he's a guy. But just trust me, okay?" I rub her back a little and she nods. We all step onto the elevator and ride it up onto our floor, then get off and approach the room. Jahseh lays Jaiden down and I take off my sandals and lay down next to him, briefly closing my eyes.

"I need to find out if they have a daycare here or something." I say sitting up, but Jahseh gently pushes me right back down.

"You're tired. Stay here and I'll go." He suggests, then gets up and leaves so I won't argue with him.

"Wow, he's really trying, huh?" Desiree asks, sprawled out on the end of the bed and I nod.

"Yeah... sometimes I feel like he doubts it all though. I know how Jahseh is, he only started up all of this nice act to get us to get along better for Jaiden's sake, but now I'm not so sure." I bite my lip softly and gaze at Jaiden's peaceful face.

"What do you mean?" Desiree asks, her head tilting to the side and I sigh.

"I mean, I'm not sure if we're gonna last. Sure at this resort it's going fine because it's just us, but he can't really be put to a test because there isn't a hell of a lot of girls running around him. It's not hard for him to ignore Sierra, but I'm just worried, then again I'm kind of expecting it, but I don't want to be a bitch and tell him that, cause then what if he really is trying and I put the thought in his head?" I ask, making her eyebrows crease.

"Yeah, you have a point, Jasmine. Damn, I never realized how complicated it was for y'all." She shakes her head. I nod wearily and sigh.

"I just hope that it doesn't come down to Stokeley being right, cause that'd be so fucking embarrassing." I groan, making her giggle and I soon join in.

I'm serious though, I think I'd be done with Jahseh if it came down to something like that.

  ~•~

Jahseh

I feel weird being back in a relationship, knowing that's it's not just me that's putting all of the effort into it, that there is also someone else. I step out of the elevator and go towards the directory, but get sucked into the game room. I play around with this one game, and start getting really good, but as I have to insert another quarter to continue, I realize I'm out.

"Fuck." I curse softly, about to just forget it, but a quarter gets held up in front of me by red colored nails. I glance up to see a girl with big curly, smiling shyly at me.

"You're really good at this game. I'll sacrifice a quarter for you." She says and I smile, laughing lightly, not even realizing when the game ends.

"Oh no! Your game!" She shrieks, looking guilty and I shrug.

"It's aight, I sacrificed that game for you." I smirk and make her giggle, and it makes my stomach churn.

"Aw, that's sweet of you. I can't even explain it enough, but my name is Jade." She extends a hand and I take it, holding it softly and feeling my bad ass and seducer charm burning up inside of me.

"I'm Jahseh, and I must say today must be my lucky day, shorty." I grin, watching a blush sting her cheeks.

"Wow, that was smooth." She giggles again and I nod, smirking a little and starting to feel a little bad, but not being to help myself  for some weird reason.

I know I'm with Jasmine now, but I can't help but to flirt with this girl.

It feels so natural and it feels like me.

  ~•~

Stokeley

I angrily walk to the hotel directory, showing where everything is located and I stare at it.

"Damn a nigga haven't played arcade games in forever." I whisper and decide to head over that way. As I do, I get a text from Desiree that's asking me to have lunch with her tomorrow.

Should I accept?

Should I stop being a fuck nigga and get to know Desiree and leave Jasmine and Jahseh alone?

I scratch my head, seriously thinking this through, but I freeze as I step into the arcade room and further in the back I see Jahseh flirting with some girl. I can obviously tell because the nigga is my Vro and I can notice how he acts when he's trying to reel a girl in, and he's trying with this shorty hard.

I shake my head, pissed that he could do this to Jasmine, and pissed by the fact that I was right, but she never believe me. Maybe I should just move on, let her get what she has coming to her and she'll learn the hard way.

I confirm lunch with Desiree tomorrow and frown at Jahseh flirting with shorty, while he's in a committed relationship with his baby mama.

Some people will just never change.